One type of hydrotherapy consists of providing a user with a floatation device that allows the user to float vertically in water, unassisted, while keeping his or her head above the water level. A hydrotherapy session is typically for 10 to 20 minutes and allows a user to float while having full freedom of movement within the floatation device. This enables full body movement for the user, which promotes strength and/or brain development through exercise.
During each hydrotherapy float session, users wear a floatation device around their necks that allows for a secure fit for their size. The water is maintained between 95 and 98 degrees Fahrenheit and can be purified through an ozone system. Hydrotherapy has been shown to provide infants, in particular, with increased muscular and skeletal power, a strengthened respiratory system, and increased cognitive development, among others. Another benefit to hydrotherapy for infants, in particular, is that infants utilize their entire bodies at a very early age, which is beneficial due to the lack of independent physical movement before they begin crawling.
Floatation devices that are used for hydrotherapy are typically inflatable and round in overall shape. These features suffer from a number of deficiencies. Typical inflatable floatation devices have too much variability in their inflation from user to user and often leak after just a few uses. In addition, the typical round shape of floatation devices restricts users' movement of their arms, making the devices less effective and awkward for the users.
The present invention overcomes the deficiencies in the prior art by being fabricated from safety foam and having a shape more conducive to full freedom of movement by infants, in particular, while providing safer floatation characteristics. The present invention can also accommodate users and, in particular, infants, of different sizes and weight, allowing it to accommodate different users or infants as they mature and grow.